‘No surprise con-ass on SONA day’

MANILA, Philippines — Congressmen will not spring a surprise constituent assembly (con-ass) on senators on Monday, the day President Duterte delivers his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) before a joint session of the Senate and House of Representatives.

 Deputy Speaker and Cebu Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia gave this assurance yesterday to doubting senators who have expressed fears that the House would force the convening of a con-ass before or after Duterte’s SONA.

If congressmen did that, senators would walk out, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri has warned House leaders.

“As far as I know, the joint session is specifically for the SONA. Senator Zubiri probably thought about it because in the SONA, the two chambers of Congress will be there ­­– the Senate is there and the House of Representatives is there as well,” Garcia said.

She said senators have nothing to fear about the possibility that the House would initiate the convening of Congress as a con-ass to tackle Charter change (Cha-cha) on Monday.

Before their annual mandatory adjournment in May, congressmen had arrived at a consensus that they would do Cha-cha through a con-ass, while senators are still weighing their options.

Before the Senate could decide, Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez raised the possibility of postponing the May 2019 elections so that lawmakers would have the time to tackle the proposed new constitution that would shift the nation to the federal system.

The Senate is largely opposed to a no-el (no elections) scenario, prompting Alvarez to float the people’s initiative mode of Cha-cha to scrap next year’s polls.

Garcia said Cha-cha remains a priority of the House.

She said they would study the draft federal constitution once President Duterte transmits it to Congress.

A presidential consultative committee (Concom) chaired by retired chief justice Reynato Puno wrote the draft.

“At this point, we just wish to point out that what was submitted by the Concom would be purely recommendatory. The final decision and the mandate to come up with the final draft of the constitution would be Congress convening itself into a constituent assembly,” Garcia said.

She said the House would soon discuss its con-ass effort with the Senate.

Protest attire for SONA

While their supporters are holding protest rallies outside the Batasan complex, leftist lawmakers said they would wear barong depicting their protest against Duterte’s policies, including his cancellation of peace talks with communist rebels, Cha-cha and imposition of fuel taxes under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion law.

Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate said he would don a simple  barong hand-painted by an artist, who is a member of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers.  

“It depicts Filipinos from all walks of life calling for the resumption of peace negotiations between the government and National Democratic Front to resolve the root causes of the almost five-decade rebellion in the country,” he said.

Anakpawis Rep. Ariel Casilao said his attire would portray the call of farmers and employees for genuine land reform and a P750 national minimum daily wage.

Representatives of women’s group Gabriela are expected to protest Duterte’s “masochism and misogyny.”

The  award-winning Tagum City Chamber Chorale will sing the national anthem for this year’s SONA.

Formed in 2013 by Mayor Allan Rellon, the Tagum City Chamber Chorale bested 19 other countries during the Sing ’N Pray International Chorale competition in Kobe, Japan last January.

Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez was reportedly the one who suggested that the chorale sing the national anthem during the SONA.

No violence, protesters urged

Philippine National Police chief Director General Oscar Albayalde urged protesters not to sow violence during the SONA.

Albayalde said officials from the security task group have yet to decide whether to allow the protesters to hold their program around 100 meters from the Batasan complex or along Commonwealth Avenue near Ever Gotesco mall, which has been the traditional venue for past mass actions. – With Edith Regalado, Emmanuel Tupas, Romina Cabrera, Mayen Jaymalin, Marc Jayson Cayabyab